Engineering Commons^™

Nature-Derived Flame Retardant For Cotton Fabrics With Green Coconut Shells, Tarikul Islam, Abdullah Al Rakib Shikder, Md Shahabul Hossen, Md Mazbah Uddin, Md Tanvir Hossain, M. Mahbubul Bashar

Michigan Tech Publications

This study presents an eco-friendly flame-retardant solution for cellulosic fabrics using green coconut shell (GCS) extract and phytic acid (PA). Cellulosic materials are highly flammable and release harmful gases during combustion. Conventional flame retardants may pose environmental and health risks while impacting the fabric quality. GCS extract is a rich source of tannins, phosphorus, silicates, metallic salts, and oxides and is explored as a novel flame retardant (FR) for cotton fabrics. Cotton samples were pretreated with PA and then with varying concentrations of GCS extract using a padding technique. Comprehensive characterization followed, including limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), …

Comparing Recovery Volumes Of Steady And Unsteady Injections Into An Aquifer Storage And Recovery Well, Saeid Masoudiashtiani, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) can involve injecting available surface water into an unconfined aquifer and then extracting it to provide secondary water for irrigation. This study demonstrates a method for evaluating the appropriateness of steady injection versus unsteady injection for an assumed situation. In design, it can be important to affect the transient: the proportion of the injected water that would be subsequently extracted (versus that remaining in the aquifer) and the proportion within the extracted water that would be an injectate (versus ambient groundwater). These proportions can be predicted from the predicted value of an ASR well's Recovery …

Mae Enewsbrief July-Sept 2024, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospce Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Stable And Buffered Reference Electrode For Binary Molten Chlorides Salts, Carlos Mejia, Nicholas Christensen, Ricardo Rodriguez Ceron, Devin Rappleye

Faculty Publications

The development of stable and buffered reference electrodes (REs) is crucial for molten salt electrochemistry, particularly in pyrochemical processing, such as electrorefining. These REs must maintain a stable potential to ensure precise control over electrorefining processes by preventing unwanted shifts in the potential that could lead to impurity deposition. This study evaluated metal chlorides and metal oxides as potential candidates for REs, with their stability assessed via electrochemical methods over extended durations. While metal chloride-based REs exhibited stable potential behavior over time, their response followed the Nernst equation, leading to potential shifts with varying concentrations of oxidized species. Metal oxide-based …

Enhancing Civil Infrastructure Performance Through Lidar-Based Dynamic Monitoring And Phased-Construction Bridges, Khalid Hossam Alkady

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation aims to enhance the performance and structural integrity of civil infrastructure systems through two primary goals. The first goal is to develop and rigorously validate end-to-end frameworks for full-field monitoring of the dynamic response of civil structures via Ground-based Lidar (GBL) scanners. GBL can be employed to sample point clouds at a high sampling rate for dynamic data collection, which addresses the limitations of using contact-based sensors in structural health monitoring (SHM) applications used for early-detection of structural damage.

The second goal of this dissertation concerns the challenges associated with constructing bridges in phases, so they can remain …

Mems 411: The Ball Bearing Sorter Group N, Jack Zhao, Anri Cifuentes, Shawn Xiong, Richard Li

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

The challenge was to design and develop an automated device capable of sorting and packaging six types of ball bearings—varying in size (1/4 inch and 1/2 inch) and material (stainless steel, brass, and nylon). The device needed to meet strict performance and design constraints, including fitting within a compact 20x20x20-inch footprint, weighing no more than 15 pounds, and sorting bearings with high speed and accuracy.

This problem represents a practical scenario in automated manufacturing, where efficient and precise sorting is crucial for streamlining assembly line operations. The solution required integrating innovative engineering mechanisms, such as size differentiation, material separation, and …

Mems 411: Mini Syringe Pump, Rachel Foulk, Braxton Hart, Camilo Hernandez

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

In many research and medical settings, small amounts of liquids are dispensed using syringes. Very often, syringe pumps like those shown in the left image, are used to control the amount (i.e., flow rate) of dispensed/collected fluid. There are single- or multi-style syringe pumps; the one shown is single-style; multi-style have 2-8 parallel syringes that are all pushed/pulled at the same flow rate. However, these syringe
pumps are bulky and heavy, making them impractical for many experimental setups. Commercial alternatives include very expensive syringe pumps with remote dispensers. Furthermore, it is often necessary to have two syringe pumps operate in …

Mems 411: Rc Plane Mount For Cfd Validation, Jake Schwartz, Margot Jay, Ian Torres, Sam Ehrman

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

Washington University in St. Louis’ Design/Build/Fly team (WashU DBF) participates in an annual international competition with over 100 teams where they create a Remote Control (RC) plane that can perform various missions. One of the difficulties in developing a plane each year is testing the forces on the plane. Currently, Ansys and XFLR5 are used to create computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for the plane. CFD modeling simulates air flow over the plane’s wings to analyze how to optimize the aircraft’s aerodynamics. While this is a useful strategy to predict the plane’s theoretical performance, WashU DBF Technical President, Eleni Kambouris, …

Agronomic Biofortification Of Calcium In Pak Choy (Brassica Rapa Subsp. Chinensis) Via Hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique, Regina Septiani Zahro, Khavid Faozi, Zulfa Ulinnuha, Agus Sarjito

Jurnal Kultivasi

Pak choy is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin K, all essential for health. Pak choy requires a proper balance of nutrients for optimal growth. In a hydroponic system, any imbalance in nutrient levels can negatively impact plant growth and reduce the nutritional value stored in the tissues. Selecting suitable varieties and providing appropriate calcium treatment can help increase calcium content and enhance productivity. This study aims to determine the effect of calcium concentration on growth, yield, and Ca content and the most responsive varieties to increased calcium concentration. The research design used was a Split Plot Design …

Decadal Climate And Landform Variables Analysis In Iraq Using Remote Sensing Datasets, Sungwon Kim, Maryam Bayatvarkeshi, Atif Muhammad Ali, Kamal Ahmed

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Iraq has experienced record-breaking temperatures, making it one of the hottest places on Earth. It is also ranked among the world's top five most climate-vulnerable nations. Climate change is a hazard to Iraq's people and may cause societal disintegration, instability, and displacement. Therefore, it is important to assess Iraq's decadal climate and landform variables analysis. In the present study, the Climate Hazards Center InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) data in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform from 2000 to 2022, as well as rainfall, anomaly, temperature, vegetation, and water, are used to analyse climate change in Iraq. As the land …

Field Canals Improvement Projects Duration Prediction: A Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning Models, Hania Ghouse, Ukaegbu Chinonso Ishmael, Edgar Dario Obando-Paredes, Hashem Shafik Shakir, Ali Al-Bayaty

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

There are several essential elements in project construction management to be studied appropriately, and priority to these elements, such as cost and duration, is predominantly interesting to be investigated. In this research, the duration of field canal improvement projects (D_FCIP) was predicted using two relatively new machine learning (ML) models - the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). The targeted D_FCIP was calculated using other dependent parameters, such as the length of the pipe, years of construction, the geographical zone of the network, the supplied area with water, and finally the actual cost …

In-Orbit Polymer Recyclers, Dargelys Buitrago Frías, José Muñoz González, Fon Saliki, Lamin Wright, Phuc Bui

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The International AstroTech Team proposes an innovative technology designed to revolutionize future space missions by facilitating in-space 3D printing using locally sourced materials. This cutting-edge technology focuses on developing an automated system capable of recycling polymers in space and transforming them into high-quality 3D printing filaments. By implementing this method, the technology addresses critical needs such as on-site resource utilization, sustainability, on-demand manufacturing, and resource efficiency. This approach not only reduces the dependency on Earth-supplied materials but also enhances the overall sustainability and operational flexibility of space missions. Consequently, it holds the potential to significantly advance the capabilities of space …

Air Supremacy, The Enabler Of Close Air Support Operations – An Evaluation Of Past, Present, And Future Air Campaigns., Owen Topolnicki

Senior Honors Theses

The achievement of gaining aerial supremacy, or lack thereof, is the hinge upon which Close Air Support (CAS) swings. The attainment of it enables CAS specialist aircraft, not unlike the Ju-87 Stuka or A-10 Thunderbolt II, to be exceptionally effective in their operating environment. While the lack of it, forces aircrews to pioneer new solutions either in the form of multi-role aircraft (capable of self-defense), or other innovative solutions similar to unmanned aerial systems (UAS’s), as aptly seen in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Thus, the ability of an air force to gain air supremacy and to do so quickly, …

Ai, American Politics, And Modern Warfare, Madisen Campbell

Space and Defense

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms modern warfare, it will pose profound ethical challenges for America’s constitutional democracy.

Technological advancements in the world today, particularly the field of artificial intelligence (AI), impact the current political system in the United States. The importance of understanding and addressing the complex challenges and opportunities of incorporating AI into American politics is key to developing a profound understanding of AI in modern warfare and the implications it has for policy making in America. The need for policy makers and military leaders to receive insight on the development of AI and to develop strategic approaches for …

U.S. 5g Technology Policy: Competition Or Boycott?, Wes Ferguson, Kyle Vargus

Space and Defense

Rather than corral allies and partners across the globe into boycotting Chinese 5G telecommunication systems, U.S. officials should embrace free-and-fair trade competition against China, even in products and services where China may enjoy a technological lead.

The race for technological supremacy has emerged as a defining characteristic of the newest era of great power competition. China and the United States compete to become the dominant world power. Each side is racing to create the latest and most elite technologies to catapult themselves into the lead and give them the edge over their adversary. The fifth generation of wireless technology, called …

Atomic Assurance: Funding A Modern U.S. Test Readiness Program, Mark Tang

Space and Defense

To address intensified strategic competition with Russia and China, the United States should reinstate funding for a modern nuclear Test Readiness Program.

The U.S. has never faced the threat of two adversarial powers with nuclear arsenals that equal our own. With the emphasis on great power competition and mounting aggression by both China and Russia, the risk of conflict with either or both powers is growing. Currently, the U.S. is ill prepared for the possible existential challenge that is deterring conflict with two major nuclear peer adversaries. America’s defense strategy and approach towards the international order must change to protect …

Earth To Orbit: Three Models For Strengthening Space Deterrence, Anton Dahm

Space and Defense

Nuclear, cyber, and integrated deterrence models hold lessons for space deterrence strategy, including declared thresholds, resilient space architecture, and the embrace of international competition in technological innovation.

The United States depends heavily on space capabilities, significantly more than any other country. Not only does space enable navigation, communications, environmental monitoring, and other vital capabilities, but space has also been described as the most essential warfighting domain. However, the U.S. space architecture mirrors its early days: relying on important, expensive payloads on a limited number of satellites. While providing important capabilities to U.S. decision-makers, kinetic and non-kinetic weapons can easily target …

The German Zeitenwende: Turning Point Or Blind Alley?, Savannah Hollen

Space and Defense

The Zeitenwende, or turning point, announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, may end up leaving Germany with few good defense policy options.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Germany vowed to change course, to expand and modernize its military, which for decades has been weak relative to the size of Europe’s leading economy. As bold as Germany’s declarations have been, German leaders may well have walked into a blind alley, unsure of exactly how Zeitenwende will happen, what the final results will be, or the consequences if they never come close to …

Strategic Space Cooperation: U.S. Space Command And The National Guard’S State Partnership Program, David Moore, Jesse Morehouse, Patrick Mitchell

Space and Defense

In 2022, the U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) and the National Guard's State Partnership Program (SPP) began pursuing security cooperation objectives while integrating the space domain into greater deterrence efforts. As the newest combatant command (CCMD) with space as its Area of Responsibility (AOR), USSPACECOM has global strategic partnership interests and recognizes the value of the enduring relationships inherent in SPP. This cooperation allows the National Guard to offer its strong relationships, space expertise, and industry knowledge to USSPACECOM. This provides a foundation for USSPACECOM's security cooperation efforts. This article discusses the SPP's role in supporting USSPACECOM's engagement strategy and the …

Arms Control Optimism And Great Power Competition, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

In its unjust war, Russia rakes at Ukrainian civilian targets using dual-capable missiles. China meanwhile tightens the screws on Taiwan as it cements its friendship with Russia and continues its buildup of strategic nuclear warheads.1 Conventional wisdom and U.S. policy under such tense conditions unduly discount expectations for arms control.2 Arms control, in the popular mind, centers on bans in testing or deployment, and is therefore terminally associated with disarmament. Trepidation about disarmament fuels assumptions in polarized democracy, and the United States in particular, about the narrow political conditions under which arms control can succeed during great power competition. Conventional …

Drone-Based, Boost-Phase Intercept Of North Korean Icbms, James D. Wells, William Priedhorsky, Frederick Lamb, Laura Grego

Space and Defense

North Korea currently has an adversarial relationship with the United States and has successfully tested both nuclear weapons and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of striking the continental United States.1 There are several ways the United States could attempt to address the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear-armed ICBMs. Historically, the United States has relied on a policy of projecting military strength, fostering strong alliances, and maintaining a credible threat of retaliation to deter adversaries, including those with nuclear weapons, from initiating hostilities. Some have argued that this approach has been instrumental in preventing conflict between nuclear-armed nations, including North …

A Premature Obituary For Conventional Deterrence, Jeffery S. Lehmkuhl

Space and Defense

As the United States (US) continues to shift its weight of effort towards great power competition, some scholars and practitioners have questioned the relevance of conventional forces and their ability to deter. Chief among them is Sean McFate, who asserts that “conventional war is unicorn hunting” and that “no one fights that way anymore.”1 Jim Sciutto echoes McFate’s claims in his book The Shadow War and states that the US is losing to Russia and China in a new way of warfare that is conducted below the threshold of conventional warfare.2 Leading Russian General Valery Gerasimov furthered this claim when …

Nuclear Regimes In The 21st Century, Stephen J. Cimbala, Adam Lowther

Space and Defense

The modern nuclear operations practitioner is facing a more complex future than at any point since the height of the Cold War. Understanding the past, present, and possible future of nuclear force structure and doctrine offers the policy maker a useful way to make sense of unfolding events and place them within a broader context. With China, Russia, and North Korea all posing a growing nuclear risk to the United States, a strong grasp on the available options for countering these threats is certainly important.

Editor's Note, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents Vol. 15 No. 2

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space And Defense Vol. 15 No. 2 Fall 2024 (Whole Issue)

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Reevaluating The Opportunity For Wind Energy In Kentucky: Advancing Technology, Changing Economics, And Generation Complementarity, Lawrence E. Holloway, Aron Patrick, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Recent developments in wind turbine technology, new wind resource data, and new federal tax credits for renewable energy are increasing the suitability of wind electricity generation in Kentucky. In 2022, Kentucky had 68% of its electricity from coal and in 2023 was one of eight U.S. states with no utility-scale wind generation. In the past, the state has been viewed as being generally unsuitable for wind power generation. While wind is not the most economic resource in Kentucky, all states bordering the Commonwealth have wind power. Wind power generation in Kentucky appears increasingly likely in the coming decades to play …

Combining Project Management Methods For Faster Software Delivery, Subhradeep Biswas

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The impact of the hybrid project management technique combined with lean principles in software organization is the main topic of the proposed thesis. The instability inherent in software projects has led to the rise in popularity of the agile approach. However, according to specialists in project management, an agile approach alone won't guarantee a project's success. When executing software projects, almost all project managers combine the agile approach with the waterfall methodology. Nevertheless, a number of investigations discovered that the hybrid strategy is frequently not failsafe. In this field of study, combining lean and hybrid project management is a topic …

Strategic Responses For Unplanned Events, Tidjan Simpson

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The paper addresses the question, “Can dynamic, effective response plans be made for stakeholders of a manufacturing line dealing with unplanned events at a manufacturing line, irrespective of an individual’s unique subject matter expertise? Prior research in manufacturing-related environments has indicated the existence of a high frequency of unplanned events. When not responded to efficiently, they can result in reduced financial efficiency and employee overwhelm. Through collection and analysis of interviews conducted with stakeholders in the manufacturing environment, a possible means of efficiently addressing unplanned events can be found or synthesized to help stakeholders navigate uncertainty in the manufacturing environment …

Mems 411: Automatic Ball Bearing Sorter, Rachel Charendoff, Matt Cheifetz, Andres Weida

Mechanical Engineering Design Project Class

The objective of this project was to design and build an automatic ball bearing sorter to sort bearings by both material (steel, brass, plastic) and size (½ inch and ¼ inch) into separate packaging stations. The system was designed to process up to 80 balls poured simultaneously into a hopper and accurately sort them in under one minute, with a target accuracy of 90% or greater. The customer, Dr. Potter, provided specifications and requirements for the device, including a compact size (≤ 20x20x20 inches) and weight (≤ 15 lbs). Additional customer needs included performance reliability, manufacturability, safety, speed, and ease …